


Crazy Random Happenstance

by lls_mutant



Category: Battlestar Galactica (2003)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-04-03
Updated: 2010-04-03
Packaged: 2017-10-08 17:05:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,177
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/77672
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lls_mutant/pseuds/lls_mutant
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gaius wants to do something nice for Felix.  And what could possibly be nicer than setting him up for sex?  Written for the bsg_pornbattle, with the prompt of "blind date"</p>
            </blockquote>





	Crazy Random Happenstance

"My head," Gaius moaned, dropping into his chair gracelessly. He sighed. "What's on the schedule for this morning, Mr. Gaeta? I have to read those tedious building codes and approve them, right?"

Felix's face was impassive. "I went over them and wrote a summary of the pertinent points you'll want to address," he said, putting a thin sheaf of papers on the desk. A fifty page document had been reduced to four. Gaius raised his eyebrows.

"What about the meeting with the Quorum?"

"The Vice President is handling that, and I'm covering the union meeting."

And just like that, the three most distasteful items had been moved off his list for that morning. "Well, then," Gaius said, feeling considerably better, "thank you, Mr. Gaeta." He made a note. This was the third morning this week that Felix had eased his workload like this. Gaius would have to do something nice for him. Just… not _too_ nice, or Felix would be back to that puppy dog devotion again and that would be more exhausting than it was worth, even for sex.

"You could find someone else to do it," the Six that frequented his waking dreams suggested, leaning against the desk. "He'll be grateful to you for arranging it, but that way if he does go all droopy and sentimental, _you_ won't be the one having to deal with it."

"Yes," Gaius agreed, ignoring the predatory edge to her smile. "That's exactly what I should do. You're absolutely brilliant for suggesting it."

Her smiled deepened, but he barely noticed it at all.

***

"Do I know a gay man who's not Gaeta?" Tom asked him incredulously. "Gaius, I'm your Vice President, not your pimp."

"I'm not asking for myself," Gaius pointed out indignantly. "But God knows Gaeta needs to get laid."

"So?" Tom said, still shaking his head in annoyance. "If it's really a problem for him, tell him to hire a prostitute. There have got to be a few appropriate ones out there. But the issues that Cantrell and Bagot brought up are fairly urgent and require-"

"I already thought of that. Can you honestly see Gaeta hiring a prostitute? I would just like to introduce him to someone like-minded. Where's the harm in that?"

Tom ignored him. "We can alter the rationing system to a degree, but the real problem is, of course, supplies. We knew it would be when we landed, but despite that, stomachs are not patient."

"He's told me he prefers brains to appearance. That shouldn't be _that_ hard to find, wouldn't you think? After all-"

"Are you in high school again?" Tom exploded. "I'm trying to talk to you about the state of the government and the remnants of humanity, and you're busy speculating over the sex life of your Chief of Staff!"

"Well, then, give me a name," Gaius insisted, mainly because it was far more interesting than what Tom was trying to talk about.

Tom sighed, thought, and then flipped a hand resignedly. "Lieutenant Hoshi up on the _Pegasus_," he said finally.

"Really? How do you know that?"

"Let's just say he takes rejection quite well. Now, can we get back to the problems at hand, or do we need to get the rest of your staff laid as well?"

Gaius recognized the danger signs in Tom's face. "Fine," he sighed. "Let's solve the rest of the problems of the world."

***

"Sir? You wanted to see me?"

Commander Adama wasn't looking nearly as good as he used to anymore, Louis thought with a little regret. Not that he'd ever had a chance in hell there, but it had been nice to have a little eye candy around the bridge. The Commander sat back in his chair, the buttons on his jacket straining against their holes. "Yes," he finally said. "I have…" he looked at it, shook his head, and then waved a piece of paper between two fingers. "I'm not sure if it's an invitation or an order here."

"Excuse me?" Louis asked, completely lost.

"It's from the President. He's requesting a meeting with someone from the Fleet to discuss tylium supplies. He's mentioned that since the meeting is so late, that whoever comes might want to stay the night."

"That sounds reasonable, sir," Louis said, still baffled.

"I guess," Adama admitted. "Although he does mention a 'social get together that the lieutenant might find enjoyable.'"

"Mmm," Louis said, and then furrowed his brows. "'The lieutenant?'" he repeated.

"Exactly. President Baltar is requesting that you be the one he meets with."

"Me, sir?" Louis said. "_Why_? I wouldn't think the President even knows who I am!"

"Got me," Adama sighed. "That's what I wanted to ask you. Did you know Lieutenant Gaeta from the _Galactica_ at all? He's the Chief of Staff, so he might have suggested you, but it still seems odd…"

"I only ever spoke with him over the wireless, sir."

"What about Vice President Zarek?"

A drunken memory and the feeling of having made a fool of himself in front of several fellow officers drifted out of his memory, and Louis tried not to flush. "We've met, but I doubt he'd be thinking of me as a contact, sir."

"Huh. Oh well." Adama shrugged. "Well, we'll send you anyway. Although, from what I hear about 'social get-togethers' on _Colonial One_, they can get quite wild."

"I'd be happy to skip it, sir," Louis said, eager to avoid any place that Tom Zarek might be. "It's not really my scene anyway."

"No, no. Actually, I'd like you to go. I'd really like a better picture of what's going on down there, and there are likely to be a lot of high-up people with extremely loose tongues. But you're someone I can trust to actually report back to me accurately."

"Aye, sir."

Adama sighed, looked at the order again, and shrugged. "All right, Lieutenant," he said. "You have your orders. Head on down to the surface."

Louis saluted sharply. "Aye, sir."

***

It was another one of Gaius's boozy parties. Felix wasn't sure why he even made an appearance, even if it was just to duck back to his office.

"It's not that I object to alcohol," Felix told the cat that had somehow snuck into _Colonial One_ and was sitting in front of his locked door. "Gods know I drink enough of the stuff myself. See?" he asked, holding up the drink that someone had pressed into his hand. He considered it, and took a sip. It was good and strong, and he nodded at the cat. "Yeah. It's just… I don't know." He pressed the code into the door and then banged it open with his shoulder.

And then promptly slammed the door shut. "Wait a minute," he said to the cat. "This is pathetic, isn't it? Seriously. Working while everyone else aboard this whole frakking ship is partying. I mean, what's the point? The whole government will probably be hung over in the morning anyway."

The cat didn't answer, it just rubbed against his legs. Felix bent down and scratched it behind the ears. "Right, then," he sighed. "Just do me a favor, will you? Keep me away from Gaius tonight. The _last_ thing I need is to end up back there."

The cat yawned, and Felix squared his shoulders and joined the party.

***

"So, as you can see, Lieutenant, New Caprica is thriving." Baltar's arm was draped around Louis's shoulders, and it was making him increasingly uncomfortable. "We should be able to up your tylium shipments with little trouble."

"Mmm." Louis sipped his drink, trying to think of how to squirm out from under Baltar's arm without being offensive about it. He also didn't really believe a word that Baltar was saying. This entire little trip had been a bust. "If you don't mind, sir, I-"

"Aha!" Baltar's arm tightened around Louis's shoulders, and Louis wasn't so much guided as he was pushed. His head spun as he smelled smoke that wasn't tobacco, and someone sloshed their drink on his uniform.

Their destination was apparently a young man that had entered the room and was looking around uncomfortably, a drink in one hand and the other shoved deeply into his jacket pocket. "Felix!" Baltar said in a high, excited voice. "I've been looking everywhere for you!"

The man's face was impassive. "Really." It was a statement, not a question, and he looked at Louis with a flat glare of dislike.

"Yes." Baltar's arm finally slipped off his shoulder, and he pushed Louis forward so hard that he almost stumbled. "This is Lieutenant Hoshi. Lieutenant, this is my Chief of Staff, Felix Gaeta."

Louis extended a hand. "Pleased to meet you."

"Likewise," Gaeta said, looking like he was anything but. "Mr. President, if you have a minute I-"

"Oops, I'm sorry," Baltar said, and now he had completely detached from Louis. "I see the representative from Scorpia over there. If you will both excuse me… Felix, do take a few minutes and show Lieutenant Hoshi around, will you?" Baltar scurried off.

Gaeta didn't seem any warmer, and Louis swallowed the rest of his drink. "It's okay," he said. "I've actually seen it all by now. If you have something better to do, go ahead."

"No, orders are orders," Gaeta sighed. He took a deep swallow of his own drink. "You're on the _Pegasus_, aren't you?"

"Yes."

"What brings you down here?"

"A meeting regarding tylium supplies."

"Tylium supplies?" Gaeta said, looking confused. "With the President?"

"Well, yes, although…" Louis decided it might be better not to say that the President didn't seem to have the first clue about the logistics of the operation, although he'd been treated to a long explanation of the tylium combustion process.

"Although what?" Gaeta asked with narrowed eyes.

What _was_ it with this guy? Louis shifted. "For some reason, the President asked for me specifically."

"Have you ever met him before?"

"No! I have _no_ idea why he insisted on me. I'm the Communications officer. I have nothing to do with fuel supplies! Well, not really," he amended, because everyone found themselves blurring the lines of their jobs these days.

Gaeta's eyes raked him up and down. "You don't look like Baltar's usual type," he said. "Although if you've got spot to frak, you probably are."

Louis blinked, and then blinked again. "Excuse me?"

"It's the Baltar Razor," Felix explained. "When in doubt, the sexual explanation is probably the right one."

Louis started to snicker, and then it hit him. "Wait, the President isn't hitting on me, is he?" A dreadful scenario began to form in his mind of Zarek mocking him down here on _Colonial One_ and everyone laughing and Baltar taking frakking _notes_ and-

"Hey, calm down!" Gaeta said. "It's not like it's that awful to have a man come on to you, and Baltar _does_ take no for an answer." He smirked and added, "Or so I've been told."

"No, it's not awful to have a _man_ hit on me," Louis agreed. "It's just the _President._ He's not my type."

"Oh." Suddenly, Gaeta's face changed entirely. The anger left his eyes and he relaxed. "What is your type?"

Louis shrugged. "Controlled, discreet, and smart. Baltar might have the last one, but the other two…" he shook his head. "I wonder why he was so insistent about it being me coming down, then."

Gaeta shrugged. "You said you don't usually deal with the fuel supplies. He probably thought you would be more agreeable than if he had to deal with some of the other officers."

"Oh." Louis felt a surge of relief. "That makes sense." Gaeta nodded and looked away, sipping his drink. "So," Louis said awkwardly. "Is it always like this?"

"Often enough," Gaeta said, and a ghost of that angry expression returned to his face. "The President believes that more can be accomplished through informal channels than in offices and meetings."

"You don't agree?"

Gaeta looked pointedly across the room, and Louis turned to see Baltar with two women, one on each arm. Both women looked young, and neither of them looked like they had politics on their mind. As Louis watched, the President swallowed something, and chased it down with what looked like whiskey.

"He's going to kill himself at this rate," Gaeta muttered, but didn't move to do anything about it. But the concern was clear in his face, and Louis suddenly got it. He wondered if Baltar had ever returned the attraction, or if Gaeta had simply been spurned from afar. As a young man joined Baltar's little group and Baltar moved over and Gaeta's face hardened, Louis thought that it might actually be the former. He was about to excuse himself, but Gaeta snapped back to the present.

"Right," Gaeta said, "I'm supposed to be showing you around."

"It's all right," Louis protested. "Really. If you could just tell me where I could sleep for the night, any former _Pegasus_ soldiers or whatever…"

Gaeta cocked his head and studied him. "Why did you come down?" he asked. "And why are you _here_, at this party?

"I was ordered to," Louis answered. "You know how that goes." He drained his drink.

Gaeta smirked. "I do. Hey, wait. How did you know that?"

"I remembered the name from the wireless. You were the tactical officer over on _Galactica_, weren't you?"

"Yeah, I was." Gaeta brightened. "Hey, let me get you another drink. What were you drinking?"

"Something approximating a gin and tonic," Louis answered, "but I'll drink anythi…" he trailed off, eyes widening.

Felix looked over in the same direction, and shrugged. "It's the Vice President," he said. "I promise he won't blow you up."

"No, it's not that," Louis hastily said. "Look, can we go somewhere else? Please?"

"If you really want to," Gaeta said, shrugging. "Although there won't be tonic."

"I don't care." Zarek was looking at him now, with the expression of trying to place his face. Louis groaned. "Let's just… go."

"Well, if you'll really drink anything," Gaeta said, "give me one minute and there's someplace else we can go."

Louis nodded. "Just hurry," he said.

***

They walked through the streets. Well, everyone called them streets- they were more like dirt-packed roads. They passed a bottle of gin back and forth between them, and it did help cut down on the wind. Gaeta had asked Louis to call him Felix, and had easily slipped into using Louis's first name as well.

"And this is where the hospital is meant to go," Felix said, gesturing grandly and a huge dark patch. There was a little light coming from the next street over, and Louis could see stakes marking the intended footprint of the building. "And if we continue down this street, I can show you the fantastic greenhouses that will someday become a reality."

"Show me the greenhouses," Louis agreed amiably.

Felix grinned at him, and turned on the flashlight he was carrying with them. Together, they walked further down the street. "I have to say," Louis said, "it's quite a different tour at night."

"It's quite a different tour when the President gives it," Felix agreed. They paused, and Louis saw the concrete walls that were the beginnings of greenhouses. He smiled, until he noticed indications that work hadn't been done recently.

"Labor stoppage," Felix said. "You'd think that after almost a year of this, we'd at least have the _greenhouses_ up and running. It's just…" he shook his head. "Sorry," he said, trying to smile. "I shouldn't be unloading all of this on you."

"I don't mind," Louis said. This was exactly the sort of information Commander Adama was looking for. He extended the gin bottle back to Felix. "I really don't."

Felix took the bottle and drank. "It's nice of you," he said. "I just… I look around here and I think of everything I envisioned, and only little bits and pieces have become reality." He shook his head, and shook the bottle. "I think we need a refill."

"We're not going back to _Colonial One_, are we?"

"No. There's a tent set up as a bar."

"Sounds good," Louis said. "Lead the way."

As they walked, Louis found that they were walking closer together. He couldn't say who initiated the closeness, but he found he didn't mind. Felix's hand brushed against his, and even if Louis himself wasn't sure if he was interested, certain other portions of his anatomy pointed out that this was a good looking, apparently single, apparently gay man walking next to him, and hey, it had been a really, _really_ long time.

They came to the bar tent, spilling over with warmth and light and people. It was crowded- a lot more crowded than Louis would have preferred. He saw Felix make a face as well.

"We could get it to go," he shouted over the noise.

"We could. Although I wouldn't mind getting out of the wind and warming up," Felix shouted back.

"We could go back to your tent," Louis heard himself suggesting.

Felix started, and then stared for a long time at Louis. "All right," he finally said. "That sounds good."

"I'll buy," Louis offered, because it was the least he could do.

He elbowed his way in, Felix following close behind. He noticed that while the volume of conversation didn't actually drop, people were giving Felix furtive glances, and he was finding his shoes immensely fascinating. The crowd might have parted just a little as they approached the bar, and he was pretty sure the bottle that they were given wasn't quite worth what he'd paid for it.

"I hate going in there," Felix said after they left and were back in the cold solitude of the streets again. "All I can see is how little we've finished, and how miserable everyone is."

"You really care about this place, don't you?" Louis asked.

Felix nodded solemnly. "I really thought… I really believed that this was _it_. That this is where we'd settle for life, and it could be good. I mean, we've got a chance to wipe away so much of the past and right all the old wrongs, to get everything _right_ this time. That there was so much potential here, even though the world itself is less than ideal." He stopped. "This is me," he said, and pulled open the flap on a tent.

It was very simple inside, with a bed and a desk and not much else. A few lamps and candles, a small hotplate, and some storage, everything neatly arranged. Louis looked around, and Felix gestured at the bed. "I don't exactly entertain much," he said. "Have a seat."

Louis sat. "So New Caprica isn't quite living up to your expectations," he said, unscrewing the bottle as Felix sat down next to him. "What about Gaius Baltar?"

Felix smirked. "A bit of a disappointment as a President."

"And as something more?" The only reason Louis had the guts to ask was because he'd drunk far more than he was used to.

Even in the dim light, he could see Felix flush. But he sighed and picked at the thick comforter that covered the bed. "A disappointment is an understatement," he said. "But it's over."

"Is it?" Louis asked.

"It is. I've admitted it. I'm just still bitter about it." Felix rolled his eyes and shook his head. "I've been wanting to move on, but the opportunity just hasn't presented itself yet."

"Well, it's presenting itself now," Louis said, and leaned in to kiss him.

He kept his eyes open for a split second, just long enough to see Felix's eyes flare open in surprise. But Felix went with it, and it was his mouth that opened, his tongue that touched Louis's lips first. Louis closed his eyes and kissed back, enjoying that jolt that came with a first kiss.

It wasn't one of the better first kisses he'd ever had. It was messy and they were completely out of sync with each other's rhythms. They bumped noses, they slobbered, and Felix ran his tongue along the roof of Louis's mouth, which he had always _hated_. But his erection was too dumb to figure any of that out and was only concerned with what else they might be getting up to, so he wrapped his arms around Felix.

Which was awkward in itself, because they weren't sitting quite right on the bed to fit together.

"C'mon," Felix murmured, and pulled Louis down on the bed.

_This_ was better. Their bodies lined up nicely, and Felix was pressed against him as they kissed without impediment. Felix had caught on that he hated the tongue thing and didn't do it anymore, and Louis realized that Felix quite liked it, and that realization earned their jackets being stripped off. Felix sat up to drop them onto a storage bin, and then rolled on top of Louis.

This was _definitely_ more like it. Felix was warm and heavy on him, smelling and tasting strongly of gin. Louis's head was spinning from all the alcohol he'd drunk, and he let his hands roam down Felix's back, and then stripped off his overshirt. Felix was solid and slender at the same time, exactly how Louis liked.

He closed his eyes and tipped his head back as Felix mouthed his neck; sloppy, wet, open-mouthed kisses that felt amazing. Felix's cheeks and chin were rough against him, and every time the stubble rasped against his skin, he felt shivers down his spine. He let Felix remove his tanks and he worked off Felix's t-shirt, and then they were skin to skin, and the chill in the air was completely forgotten.

Felix was palming his erection. Louis arched into it, letting his hands fall back because there wasn't quite any way to reciprocate. "What do you want?" Felix asked in his ear. "What do you like?"

"Oh, gods," Louis moaned. "It has been _so_ long since I've gotten good and frakked. If you're up for that…" he opened his eyes as Felix stilled. "Is that okay?" he asked, seeing the hesitancy.

"Yeah… yeah. It's just…"

"What?"

Felix made a face. "I can't promise anything," he admitted. "When I drink heavily, I have a hard time… maintaining… nothing to do with you, of course."

"Of course," Louis muttered. Now that it was pointed out to him, he could feel that Felix was only half-hard against his hip. Intellectually he understood, but damn if it wasn't a blow to the ego.

"We could try, though," Felix said, and he kissed Louis again.

Libido won out over ego, and Louis decided to just take Felix's statement at face value. After all, Felix was plenty enthusiastic with his hands, and things got going well again.

"Don't bother too much," he whispered when Felix began to slide his fingers into him. "It's been a while, but I'm also really drunk."

Felix laughed, and Louis sat up enough long enough to procure enough lube to do the honors himself. Felix was fully hard under his fingers, and he smiled smugly. "How do you want me?" he asked.

Felix kissed him deeply, and then pushed on his shoulder. It took a minute, but Louis got the hint and got up on his hands and knees. The bed creaked rather alarmingly under them and for a moment he worried it wasn't going to hold them, and his knee was balanced rather precariously on the frame of the cot, but he could make this work. Especially as Felix slid into him.

And oh, gods, this _was_ what he needed. He closed his eyes and bowed his head, letting the sensation wash over him. Felix was hitting him not quite right, but right enough, and if he just moved a little more… Louis shifted his hips. Felix made a noise, and he slowed down.

"Everything all right?" Louis asked, when Felix didn't start moving again.

"Yeah. I just lost my balance and I…" Felix stilled, and Louis could almost _feel_ him concentrating. He tried flexing certain muscles, but Felix didn't respond. "Frak," Felix said, pulling out. "This isn't going to work tonight."

Louis closed his eyes in frustration.

"Tell you what," Felix said, gently pushing on Louis's shoulders until he lay down. "You stay the night, and I'll blow you tonight, and then pound you through the cot properly tomorrow morning before either of us have to be at work."

Getting laid had been more than he'd ever expected from this wretched trip- getting laid _and_ a blowjob was hitting the jackpot. "You're on," Louis agreed, flipping over.

"I knew I'd win you over with my powers of persuasion," Felix laughed. He said "persuasion" funny, a strange, slurred sound. But Louis didn't particularly care. He lay back, letting Felix get to work. Felix's mouth closed over him, and Louis moaned. Gods, if the man could do this this well when drunk… well, Louis thought it might be a good idea to find out what he could do sober.

He tangled his fingers in Felix's hair, and he felt Felix smile against him. It felt amazing, and he arched into it, his hips beginning to move. Alcohol always loosened him up in bed, and he thrust up into Felix's mouth.

Felix gagged.

Louis stilled, horrified, and Felix lurched out of the bed, legs flying and hand over his mouth. But he was still gagging, and he just barely made it out of the tent in time to vomit. Louis followed him, although the tent kind of lurched as he walked, which was never a good sign. He managed to at least pretend to support Felix, although he suspected the pole Felix was leaning against did most of the job.

And to top matters off, someone walked by as they were both standing there naked. Well, at least Louis didn't know them, although laughter drifted through the cold night air.

"Come on," he told Felix wearily, resigned to the fact he wasn't getting off tonight. Not that he minded as much right now. The sight of his partner vomiting thanks to his own carelessness pretty much killed his sex drive. "Let's just go to bed."

Felix shook his head. "Got to brush my teeth first."

Louis opened his mouth to argue, remembered what Felix had just been doing, and closed his mouth again. He decided to take advantage of being up, ducked out of the tent to find a spot that didn't look too public, and took a quick piss. But the time he was done he was cold and shivering, so he found his way back to the tent and the cot and slipped in under the covers. The cloth was cold against his skin, but it would warm up soon enough.

Felix slid in beside him, smelling like toothpaste and gin and the outside. His feet brushed against Louis's, and Louis yelped. "Sorry," Felix apologized. "I usually sleep with my socks on."

"It's okay," Louis said. He shifted around, trying to get comfortable. Felix lay on his back, rubbing his forehead.

"I'm so sorry," he slurred. "This wasn't how this was supposed to go."

"It's all right," Louis said, because the truth was he was starting to really feel the alcohol too, and wondering if he was going to lose it himself. He laid his head on the pillow and closed his eyes, and the tent began to spin.

He either fell asleep or passed out, but he really wasn't sure which.

***

There was a clock. Louis saw it as he stumbled back into the tent, and it said 2:38. There was still time to sleep, and thank gods because he was pretty sure he was still drunk. He slid back into the cot, and Felix started against him. But he didn't wake up, only made a noise and turned over. Louis closed his eyes. And Felix began to snore.

Not small snores, or contented snores, but incredibly loud, sawing wood, shaking the tent snores. Louis groaned and elbowed Felix in the ribs gently, but it didn't help. He elbowed him harder, and it stopped.

He sighed in relief and closed his eyes again.

And yes, the snores started right back up.

"Frak it, Felix! Wake up!" he growled, yanking on the pillow. Felix's eyes drifted open.

"Wha?"

"You're snoring."

"Oh. Sorry."

"It's okay. Just… can you turn over or something?"

"'Kay." Felix turned on his side, draping an arm heavily over Louis's waist. Louis looked at it for a moment, shrugged, and then turned over so he was nestled with his back to Felix's front. "Like that," Felix informed him.

Louis managed a smile. "Yeah," he agreed. "I do, too."

***

His head was pounding, and his mouth was dry. But there was a hard cock against his ass, and a hand on his own cock, stroking him into awareness. Louis groaned and stretched, and remembered last night and Felix's promise. Apparently, Felix hadn't forgotten.

"Don't turn around," Felix whispered when he realized Louis was awake. "I really, really owe you for last night."

There was no argument to that, especially when Felix's lips found his neck. They traced along the tendons and up to his ear, and Louis tilted his head to allow for better access.

This morning was completely different from last night. Felix's kisses were more precise, and he was extremely observant as to what got a reaction and what didn't. Louis pushed back against him, and found the fingers of Felix's free hand and twined his own fingers through them. Felix laid his cheek against Louis's, and Louis could feel him smile.

"You still up for it?" he asked.

"Hell, yeah," Louis agreed. "Although I'm surprised you remembered."

"Trust me. I remembered."

This time there was no stopping and no hesitation. It wasn't quite "pounding through the cot" like Felix had promised, but it worked, and it worked well. Louis came, his free hand tangling in the blankets, and Felix continued to thrust into him for long moments afterwards. Finally, he felt Felix thrust deeply into him, hard, and then shiver before he pulled out.

Louis turned over, and saw Felix leaning on his hand, grinning sheepishly.

"Good morning," he said. "Better than last night?"

"The funny thing is, I'm not sure," Louis confessed.

"What?"

"Well, physically, yeah. But I don't know. For all that you got incredibly drunk, you passed out on me, you _puked_ on me, and oh yeah, you _snore_… I really had a good time last night." He snorted. "I didn't expect to."

"Yeah," Felix agreed. "I had a good time, too."

"Can I see you again sometime?" Louis heard himself asking.

Felix's smile turned into a smirk. "Sure that's not just the afterglow talking?"

It was a good question, realistically. They might have had fun last night, but the sex had been pretty unsatisfactory (although the morning had made up for it). And more than that, Louis remembered the look on Felix's face when Baltar's name was said.

But at the same time, he remembered the look on Felix's face when he looked at New Caprica- those earnest dreams of something greater, and that genuine belief that someday, they'd manage to build it.

"Yeah," he said. "I'd definitely like to see you again."

Felix smiled. "I think I'd like that, too."

***

Someone was singing.

Gaius swallowed another painkiller, and decided that perhaps he should investigate who had the audacity to be singing after a night like last night. He eased himself out of bed, pleased to see that he was alone and the girl- what had her name been? Oh, it didn't matter- had taken the hint and cleared out before he'd even woken up. He pulled on his clothing and headed out into his office.

Felix was there, sorting through papers and singing softly to himself. Gaius leaned against the doorframe, watching him. There were dark circles under his aide's eyes, and he looked a little worse for the wear, but at the same time there was a soft sort of glow about him.

"Have a good night, Mr. Gaeta?" he asked.

Felix looked up. "Oh. Mr. President. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you."

"No. No, you're not disturbing me at all." Gaius wandered over and sat down on the couch. "You look happy."

Felix shrugged. "I am happy," he said.

"So it was a good night."

"No," Felix said with a little laugh. "Truthfully, it was a lousy night."

"I saw you left with Lieutenant Hoshi," Gaius pressed.

"Mmm." Felix had that secretive smile.

The Six appeared over Felix's shoulder. "He slept with him," she informed Gaius. "I would bet money on it."

"Small matter, really," Gaius said.

Felix shrugged. "Maybe. Maybe not." He glanced at Gaius, as if gauging his reaction. "He's coming back down in a week if he can get leave."

"Really." For some reason, that bothered Gaius. Immensely, when he considered it. "You're joking."

"No. Actually, I'm not, _Gaius_," Felix said, stressing the first name and looking right at him. "I'm doing exactly what you said it was time for us both to do. Moving on."

"Ooh," the Six purred, "someone's got his claws out this morning."

"I wouldn't say that, exactly," Gaius said.

"Actually, you did say that exactly," Felix pointed out. But as Gaius stepped closer, he didn't step away. "Those were your exact words."

"Maybe you remembered wrong," Gaius suggested. "Maybe _I_ spoke wrong."

"Gaius… don't do this," Felix said. But he didn't move away when Gaius reached up and touched his cheek.

"I don't see you complaining," Gaius pointed out. His hand slid around to the back of Felix's neck, and he pulled him down to kiss him. Felix whimpered against his lips, but he didn't struggle and he didn't pull away.

"It's so easy, isn't it?" the Six said. "And so much more fun, to let him think he's getting away and then to pull him back in. To conquer him again. Or are _you_ the conquest, Gaius? Are you the one who can't get away, can't let him be happy with someone else?"

"It's not like that," Gaius whispered as he broke the kiss.

Felix stilled. "Not like what?" The Six smirked, and Gaius tried to answer, but no sound came out of his mouth. Felix pulled away. "Not like what, Gaius?"

"It's not… you're not…" Gaius fumbled for the words.

"It's not like that," Felix repeated. He took another step back. "It's not like what I've wanted, what I've _always_ wanted. Fine, Gaius. It's not like that. And it's not like this, either." He moved over to the desk, finished organizing his pile, and left it square in the middle of the blotter, a large stack of papers. "There are your morning reports, Mr. President. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got a meeting with the head of the water treatment facility." He stalked out of the room.

"It's too bad," the Six said. "It looks like you're slipping, Gaius. He's not nearly as malleable as he used to be. Looks like you're going to have to find someone else to inspire dog-eyed devotion in."

"Yes, well," Gaius muttered, not looking at her. "I'm sure it won't be that difficult of a task."

He sat down on the couch and looked out the window. As he did, he saw Felix leaving _Colonial One_, his hands shoved in his pockets and his head bowed against the wind. But even as Gaius watched, Felix stopped and looked back at the ship, right at Gaius's office. Gaius smiled to himself. He might not win right away, but Felix would be back.

He'd see to it.

***

"This is more than I expected, Lieutenant," Commander Adama said, leafing through the report that Louis had typed up. "How did you get this much information?"

"Like you said, sir. People got drunk at the party." Louis didn't think he needed to advertise his source.

"Well." Commander Adama was still reading. "This is… this was some good work."

"Sir?" Now was the best time to ask. "If it's possible, could I have a two day pass next week?"

"Being on land agreed with you?" the Commander asked, grinning wryly. He rubbed his chin. "I think we should be able to swing it."

Louis could barely contain his smile. "Thank you, sir," he said. Now he just had to wait six days. Six days to turn everything over in his mind, six days to try to work out where this might go and exactly what he wanted. Six days to wait.

He never thought that they'd jump away the next day, or that it would be over four months before he saw Felix Gaeta again. And by then, everything had changed.

And yet, when he heard what Felix had done on New Caprica and the price he had paid, he remembered the look on his face when he'd shown Louis the city, and he thought some things hadn't changed at all.


End file.
